Lawyers, Judge Share Close Ties In Jesse Jackson Jr. Case
From the Legal Times
Former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s embezzlement case is proving just how small Washington's legal world can be.
The first judge randomly assigned to the case in Washington's federal trial court has now recused himself. Today in court, the second judge—also randomly assigned—took extra measures to air her connections to the lawyers.
U.S. District Judge Amy Jackson Berman, a former white-collar criminal defense attorney at Trout Cacheris, listed her connections during the first status conference on the case since it was assigned to her April 16. President Barack Obama appointed Jackson to the bench in March 2011.
"There are a lot of longstanding relationships I wanted to put on the record," Judge Jackson said during the hearing. But none of these are social connections (no dinner parties, she said). "I don’t think any of them warrant my recusal."
First, the lead defense attorneys: Reid Weingarten and Brian Heberlig, litigation partners at Steptoe & Johnson. Judge Jackson said she has known Weingarten "for some time" through the white-collar defense bar. Weingarten described it after the hearing as seeing "Amy" at professional gatherings. Judge Jackson she said she has worked with Heberlig, who leads Steptoe's white-collar criminal defense practice. (The judge didn't elaborate how or when she worked with Heberlig.)
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Legal Times
Former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s embezzlement case is proving just how small Washington's legal world can be.
The first judge randomly assigned to the case in Washington's federal trial court has now recused himself. Today in court, the second judge—also randomly assigned—took extra measures to air her connections to the lawyers.
U.S. District Judge Amy Jackson Berman, a former white-collar criminal defense attorney at Trout Cacheris, listed her connections during the first status conference on the case since it was assigned to her April 16. President Barack Obama appointed Jackson to the bench in March 2011.
"There are a lot of longstanding relationships I wanted to put on the record," Judge Jackson said during the hearing. But none of these are social connections (no dinner parties, she said). "I don’t think any of them warrant my recusal."
First, the lead defense attorneys: Reid Weingarten and Brian Heberlig, litigation partners at Steptoe & Johnson. Judge Jackson said she has known Weingarten "for some time" through the white-collar defense bar. Weingarten described it after the hearing as seeing "Amy" at professional gatherings. Judge Jackson she said she has worked with Heberlig, who leads Steptoe's white-collar criminal defense practice. (The judge didn't elaborate how or when she worked with Heberlig.)
Read more in our daily News Update...